The Marine

Waking up on a hammock just big enough to fit his frame, Bill rubbed his face and got up.

It was now the third day the crew had been cast away and despite himself, Bill was more hopeful now that he had finally gotten a night’s sleep.

The first night after being shipwrecked had been the worst.

After Bill had rescued those he could, there hadn’t even been a minute to rest.

Everyone had been put to exact tasks by the Captain, which to her credit thought Bill, never showed panic or anything other than stoic judgement.

Of course, she had put more work on the ones who could do more and so Bill found himself working throughout the afternoon, standing watch that first night, then working through the next day without break except to eat.

To make matters worse the gigantic crocodile and python fought back and forth from time to time, keeping everyone in camp on edge.

By now Bill knew that he was far stronger than any Lieutenant ought to be, perhaps surrounded by his friends on Vallipo and the fact that he was always beaten by Sentomaru had led him to believe that it was normal for the people of this world to be very strong.

The truth seemed to be that there was a clear cut off between people he would classify as ‘very fit’ and those he could classify as ‘obviously superhuman’.

In this world, even random Joe’s could have great physical abilities, and those people who somewhat trained were nearly all Olympic athletes by Earth’s standards.

But for most, that was where it stopped. For this world it may be normal, but for the former Earthling, it was insane that people had the ability to become superhuman and chose not to.

Though, at this time, Bill thought that maybe they had been right because he was worked like a dog.

In his last life he hadn’t been a carpenter by trade, but he knew enough to fit right in with the other workers.

While he was at work chopping at trees with a hatchet and building shelters; Tom, Jerry, and Samantha had been drafted to be aids for the surgeons. Three of the ships four surgeons had survived the wreck, but only two of them could easily move so the biology students seemed to be the best candidates for the job.

Though Tom had a fractured leg and bruised hip, he was able to limp around enough to used given the situation.

Marron and the other MSU recruits had been put on the same crew as Bill and one of the ships carpenters.

Their job had been the most physical but compared to gathering and preparing the dead for burial or scavenging the dark ship with only small candles, none of the MSU recruits complained.

For the Captains part, Bill found out that she had been in the ship to stabilize the powder kegs and retrieve the log pose and communication snails.

Last night before he went to bed he had been called in her tent, which doubled as the command center, and with the ships navigator she had explained the situation.

Firstly, they were on an island that didn’t respond to the Log Pose. She explained that this could happen from time to time since some islands couldn’t register to a Log Pose for several months or even years.

Secondly, they had been in contact with Headquarters and given them the relevant information. Headquarters would be sending a search party, but due to the kilometer-sized crocodile and python in these waters, they would have to wait until a Vice Admiral became available.

Thirdly, during the accident some of the beer kegs broke and ruined much of the flour, now they had only enough beer and other food stuffs to last two weeks. Rationing was impossible while having the men build the fort.

To all of this Bill had asked a few questions, though the food shortage was important, he specifically wondered how it could be possible for there to be an unknown island a mere month’s sail from Marine Headquarters and how long would they have to wait for a rescue party.

The Captain had no clear answers for the first question, and Bill didn’t push for an explanation. The fact was that while they were shipwrecked, he didn’t have any reason to doubt her.

On his second question, she told him it would certainly be weeks before any rescue ship was even launched.

Then depending on where the Vice Admiral came from, it could be a month or more before they even located the surrounding waters.

This meant the crew would have to buckle down and wait. While they did so, they would build a stable fort.

After their discussion, Hina had returned the Science Divisions communication snail, and Bill had spoken briefly to Sentomaru, who was outraged by the deaths of so many of his people.

Bill could tell that Sentomaru had previously spoken to Hina, and although he didn’t know what was said, he could easily understand that Sentomaru blamed her for the disaster.

Bill thought it was unfounded, and after he spoke up in the Captains defense, the conversation had ended on a bitter note.

But what was done was done and thinking about the day ahead Bill walked out of his tent.

Building the fort was detailed work, but it would be made easier by Hina’s devil fruit.  Instead of having to use pegs, as long as logs were secure in the ground, she could bind them together with iron.

The main drawback with her power was that it would slowly deteriorate as mist from the sea hit it.

But considering the fort was not meant to be a permanent structure, they could hardly have been stranded with a better person.

Walking a short way into the woods, Bill dug a hole and did his business. While he and the MSU recruits would be cutting and moving trees today, others would be building the latrines.

It was messy, but looking on the bright side, at least he wasn’t in the newly built med bay having to help the wounded do their business.

Covering his hole and walking back towards camp Bill laughed thinking that would be rough.

As he walked back, the others were just waking up, but Marron was dressed and walking towards him.

With a perfunctory salute, the brown headed girl said seriously: “Lieutenant! Captain Hina requests your presence at command as soon as you’re done your morning duties!”

Giving a slight smile, Bill waved his hand and replied: “At ease, Marron. Do you know what the Captain wants?”

From Bill’s understanding, they would continue to cut down the trees and line them up as they did yesterday.

Of course, by saying ‘they’ would cut down the trees, what Bill really meant was that he’d cut down the trees while Marron and the others stripped them of their branches and cut the tops to a more-or-less equal height.

Then using a rope, he would drag the fifty meter long fallen trees nearby to where they would be further processed.

Indeed, while doing this back breaking work, Bill thought the Captain must really think it’s nice to have an Ox onboard her ship.

“I’m not sure.” Marron replied, now more relaxed, but continued with a nasty look on her face: “But the prisoners were there outside her tent, they smelled really bad.”

Getting this piece of news Bill also briefly had a nasty face but trying to not show it: “Did they look happy? To finally be off the ship they would probably be doing back-flips if they could.”

In truth, the situation of those men could not have been good. The bottom most level on Marine ships usually held the jail cells, and since that level of the ship was under water level there was no air circulation.

Having stayed in a near pitch black humid cell, with no toilets besides a few chamber pots, it was no wonder Marron mentioned the smell.

As they spoke, she and Bill had started walking to the canteen, then shrugging her shoulders exaggeratedly she said: “I don’t think they looked very happy, a few of them were eyeing around, but there wasn’t much elsewise… oh, but I didn’t stand and look at them for too long either.”

After that, Bill ate a moderate sized breakfast with Marron, as the other members of their crew had assembled Bill announced he would go see the Captain and they’d get to work.

All of these recruits were either six or seventeen, and Bill could say they acted admirably. After all, there were still many sailors from Captain Hina’s crew that were still in such a state of shock it was impossible to make them work.

Furthermore, although there had never been any question to his authority, probably due to his size, now the other recruits looked at Bill respectfully.

Getting a bunch of ‘ayes’ Bill left the canteen and made his way over to the command tent.

Off to one side of the tent were eighteen pirates and on the other side were crudely made wheelbarrows and digging tools., Bill made note of this but didn’t come to any conclusions.

Well, he came to one conclusion, because twenty-eight pirates had been the number arrested. Nine probably died in the bottom of the ship.

Currently they were all tied up by Hina’s devil fruit, and as Marron had described most of them looked hopeless.

Getting to the tent, Bill saw the Captains secretary standing outside, the man was largely forgettable and if Bill recalled correctly held the official position of Purser.

Though not an issue for him, Bill laughed thinking whether or not the Purser should be largely forgettable.

Collecting himself, Bill spoke clearly: “I’m here to see the Captain.”

Nodding his head, the man clearly expected Bill to come and after going inside the tent for a moment he came back out and signaled for Bill to continue.

Heading into the room, Bill found Captain Hina and the ships head Carpenter standing around a makeshift map, which included the outline for the fort.

Shifting their heads from the blueprint to Bill, Hina spoke first: “Lieutenant Ox, good to see you promptly arrive. I have a new task for you.”

As she spoke, the other Marine stayed quiet.

“Our scouting party found a small brook about three-hundred meters inland. I need you to redirect it.”

Yesterday Bill and his crew had worked around the edge of the forest. With the islands dense vegetation, it wasn’t surprising that he hadn’t heard the flowing water as he worked.

Showing he understood, Bill walked towards the table and saw the rough schematics.

The base they were building would be impressive for what it was. Though, Bill knew that the outer walls were just decoration.

If either of the two monsters fighting in the surrounding water came on shore, it would be up to him and the Captain to oppose them. A forty-meter spike would not stop an animal two kilometers in length.

The more he came to know, the more he understood the reason for the vast scale of Marine architecture.

“This just shows a channel being dug between here and the stream?”

Nodding her head, Hina lit up the cigarette in her mouth, took a drag and spoke as she exhaled: “That’s right. We need a water source, and you’ll take the prisoners and supervise them as they dig.”

Though he suspected this once he heard what she wanted, this didn’t make him happy.

So, giving his reply in a harsh voice he said: “How do you suppose I do that? Those men out there can’t work, and even if I can force them to do so, it would take them a week.”

Then the two locked eyes for several seconds until Hina turned her head and said: “Ensign Zan, step outside.”

Nodding his head, the man promptly left the tent.

Looking at Bill, Hina spoke low but heavily: “What I tell you now does not leave this tent.

After the scouting party found the brook, they came running back. Their incompetence probably saved their lives, because after they came back, I went out myself to look around.

I found that there are dangerous unknown creatures on this island. Thankfully, the ones I saw aren’t nearly as large as that crocodile and python. Those two are probably the bosses in this area.”

Taking another drag of her cigarette, the Captain continued: “The animals that I’ve come across were all strange. There was a bird that set itself on fire before flying off, a giant centipede that had mouths on the bottoms of its feet, there was a creature that looked like a mix between a bug and a bear, and a lot more.

Frankly, this island seems to be crawling with lifeforms who only seem to want to eat each other. We’ve been lucky to have been left alone, it’s probably only been the case because the other animals don’t want to get near the bosses.”

As she spoke, Bill stood straight, crossed his arms, and said: “If that’s the case, shouldn’t we first build the walls? We don’t know how long those two will continue fighting”

Shaking her head, Hina said seriously: “It’s precisely because we don’t know when the bosses will stop fighting that we need to redirect the water.

Look, my crew has capable sailors, but these men are not useful warriors. Asking them to fetch water is asking them to die.

With our current food stores…” Hina shook her head then said: “This can’t wait, and you’re the only one here who can do it.”

Rubbing his eyes, Bill wasn’t harsh in his tone anymore and simply replied: “I don’t think they can work; you’ve seen their condition. Plus, if it’s as dangerous as you say, what happens when we meet one of these mutated animals? I’m not sure I could protect eighteen fleeing pirates while fighting off flaming birds and bugbears.”

Hina seem to be expecting this type of question, and so she replied without hesitation: “If they don’t work, they won’t eat. If any of them besides the captain run off, you will not go after them.

Your only duty here is to protect the pirate captain and finish the trench.”

Confused for a second, Bill asked without thinking: “Why do we need to protect the captain?”

Seeing the confusion on Bills face, Hina seemed to get embarrassed, but nonetheless replied: “I need the bounty.”

Before he could ask, it hit him.

The Marines gave a lot of operational freedom to the commissioned officers. This was the case in every theater of war Bill had seen.

So, instead of having the headache of administering a single war-chest to allocate the money across the world, the organization posted bounties to encourage those commissioned officers to go after their budget.

Of course, all Marines were paid a salary and given the most basic supplies.

But did you want a bigger crew? Did you want a better crew? Did you want better trainings? Did you want better ships? Did you want a better base?

Then catch the criminals!

This was also the reason why many Marine officers didn’t like bounty hunters.

So, for a Captain like Hina, who had been shipwrecked and lost a third of her crew to death and another third to injury, it was no exaggeration to say that she was in dire straits!

The pirate they had captured was a man named Hollandaise. He was Wanted Alive and had a mere 20m Beli on his head.

20m Beli was nothing, but now Hina had a lot of expenses to cover, any little bit was important.

Exasperated, Bill could only agree. Though he didn’t look forward to potentially sacrificing seventeen pirates, he could see it was the best way.

After all, these men had chosen their fates.

“Ok, I’ll see it’s done, and what will my men be doing?”

Looking relieved by this, Hina said evenly: “The MSU recruits will be helping process the lumber you cut yesterday into wooden logs.

We don’t have time to dry the wood, but we need a semblance of stability. We only have fifty people working, hopefully that number doubles in the next couple days…”

Then under her breath the Captain said: “These sailors will be the death of Hina.”

After that, Hina called Ensign Zan back in the tent.

The two went over the path Bill would take and gave him the rough sketch.

Walking out of the tent, sketch in hand, Bill looked at the eighteen pirates.

“You lot are working with me today!”

With that said, their iron bindings dissipated into smoke.